Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Philodendron hybrid-cultivar xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99.
This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of philodendron plant, botanically known as Philodendron hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Altha, Fla. The objective of the program was to develop new vigorous, self-heading, not vining and self-supporting Philodendron cultivars useful for various container sizes, with attractive plant form and colors, with large, thick leaves and petioles shorter than the male parent.
The new Philodendron was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 1996 as a seedling within the progeny of a cross made in 1995 in a controlled environment in Altha, Fla. The female parent was Philodendron cultivar xe2x80x98Imperial Redxe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,337 (species not named in the disclosure). The male parent was an unidentified selection of the Philodendron tatei Krause spp. melanochlorum (Bunting) Bunting (not patented).
Asexual propagation of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 since 1998 by means of tissue culture in Altha, Fla. has established that the unique characteristics of this new cultivar are in fact stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The new Philodendron cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and/or horticultural practices such as temperature, light intensity, day length, fertilization, irrigation, propagation procedures etc., without any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar of Philodendron:
1. Large size plant, appropriate for 15-cm and larger containers;
2. self-heading, not vining, self-supporting, mostly upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and open growth habit;
3. very vigorous growth;
4. large, thick, leathery, dark green mature leaf blades;
5. thick, very dark purple-brown mature petioles;
6. brown-maroon-green young leaves;
7. long, red-purple, relatively long-lasting petiole sheaths;
8. numerous aerial roots with distinct red zone.
Plants of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are distinguished from plants of the female parent, commercial Philodendron cultivar xe2x80x98Imperial Redxe2x80x99 disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,337 by the following characteristics:
1. Plants of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are larger, have more outwardly spreading and open growth habit than plants of xe2x80x98Imperial Redxe2x80x99.
2. Plants of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are more vigorous than plants of xe2x80x98Imperial Redxe2x80x99.
3. Leaf blades of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are thicker, larger and more ovate than leaf blades of xe2x80x98Imperial Redxe2x80x99.
4. Petioles of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are longer and thicker than petioles of xe2x80x98Imperial Redxe2x80x99.
5. Mature leaf blades of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are darker green with greater contrast between midrib and surrounding tissue than mature leaf blades of xe2x80x98Imperial Redxe2x80x99.
6. Mature petioles of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are dark purple-brown, whereas mature petioles of xe2x80x98Imperial Redxe2x80x99 are brownish-green.
7. Leaf petiole sheaths of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are longer and darker red-purple than leaf petiole sheaths of xe2x80x98Imperial Redxe2x80x99.
8. Plants of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 have more and thicker air roots than plants of xe2x80x98Imperial Redxe2x80x99.
Plants of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are distinguished from plants of the male parent, unidentified selection of the Philodendron tatei spp. melanochlorum by its smaller size; more compact and fuller growth habit; much more vigorous growth; smaller and darker green leaf blades; shorter, dark purple-brown petioles (as opposed to green petioles of the parent plant); and longer-lasting, red-purple petiole sheaths (as oppose to yellow-green petiole sheath of the parent plant).
The new cultivar can be compared to the commercial Philodendron cultivar xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99 is disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,724.
Plants of the new Philodendron cultivar differ from plants of Philodendron xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are narrower, have more upright, less spreading and slightly less open growth habit than plants of xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99.
2. Plants of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are more vigorous than plants of xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99.
3. Leaf blades of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are shorter, with lower length to width ratio, shorter tip, more asymmetric base than leaf blades of xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99.
4. Mature leaf blades of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are darker green with less contrasting midrib than leaf blades of xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99 and have red-purple margin, whereas leaf blades of xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99 and have light green margin.
5. Petioles of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are shorter than petioles of xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99.
6. Mature petioles of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are dark purple-brown, whereas mature petioles of xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99 are green.
7. Unfolding leaves of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 have brown-maroon coloration on the blades and red-purple coloration on petioles, whereas unfolding leaves of xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99 are completely green.
8. Petiole sheaths of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are longer-lasting and are red-purple, whereas petiole sheaths of xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99 are predominantly yellow-green.
9. Sheaths covering inflorescences of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 are red-purple, whereas sheaths covering inflorescences of xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99 are predominantly yellow-green.
10. Plants of xe2x80x98Rojo Congoxe2x80x99 have more aerial roots than plants of xe2x80x98Congoxe2x80x99.